Improvement in fire-arms



S. COLT.

Revolver.

Nu. H.905.

Patented Mn :20, 1856.

Wilnencs.

inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

SAML. COLT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [4,905, dated May 20, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL COLT,Of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Man y- Chambered Rotating-Breech Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the followingisal'ull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to theaccompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification, in \vhich Figure 1 is a top view ofa pistol on my improved plan Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a separate view of the periphery of the rotating breech developed; Fig. 4, a section of the slide and pin for rotating the breech; Figs. 5 and 6, sections of the rotating breech at the lines A a and B b of Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 a perspective view of a portion of the breech.

The same letters indicate like partsin all the figures.

My said invention relates to improvements on the method of rotating the man y-chambered breech in fire-arms by a. driving pin or bolt op erated by the cock, or some part of the lock moving in unison with the cock, and sliding in a series of grooves cut in the periphery of the rotating breech,0r some part connected with it, which grooves are so formed that in the act of firing the driving pin or bolt will run in one groove without turning the breech, thereby holding the particular chamherin line with the barrel, and in the act of cooking pass into and along another and diagonal groove, so formed as to rotate the breech and bringthe nextchamber of the breech in line with the barrel proparatory to another discharge; and my said invention consists in combining with such a series of grooves another series of shorter grooves connected with and running out of the diagonal grooves, and so located that after the breech has been rotated to bring the space between any two chambers in line with the barrel, by letting down the cock or hammer the pin or bolt shall run in one of the said short grooves and hold the breech in that position with the hammer ofthe cock resting on the barrel instead of on a nipple.

The object of this improvement is to avoid the danger of discharging a load by an accidental blow on the cock when resting on the nipple, such accidents having been of frequent occurrence with arms as formerly constructed;

and my said invention also consists in making short lateral grooves running out of the diago nalgrooves and in the direction of the rotation, the bottoms of which are inclined and extend from the bottom of the diagonal grooves to near the surface, and so located that when the hammer is set at half-cock the said lateral grooves shall be in line with the pin or bolt, and thus admit of turning the breech by hand to any extent desired. \Vithout this improvement it will be perceived that the breech could not be turned except by cooking and uncocki'ng the hammer, which is frequently attended with inconvenience.

In the aecompanyin g drawings the periphery of the rotating breech a. is formed with a series of longitudinal grooves, b, one for each chamber, and extend nearly its whole length, and also with an equal number of diagonal grooves, 0, each from near the forward end of one of the longitudinal grooves to near the rearend ofthe next. Each longitudinal groove 1) is formed with an inclined plane, 01, just at its junction with the forward end of the diagonal groove, and the rear end of the diagonal groove is slightly inclined upward, are made of less depth than the longitudinal groove, and about midway between the longitudinal grooves are formed other or secondary longitudinal grooves, c, which extend forward from and run into the diagonal grooves.

At about the middle of the length of the to tating breech short inclined lateral grooves f are formed in the direction of the periphery, and extending from the bottom of the longitudinal grooves I) and the diagonal grooves c to near the periphery.

There is a driving pin or bolt, 9, fitted to a hole in a sliding block, h, and bearing against a spring, 2', so that the driving-pin can rise when the tension of the spring is overcome. This pin or bolt is titted to work in the grooves above described and pass over the inclined planes. The sliding block h is fitted to slide in ways made in a slot, j, formed in the upper plate, k, of the frame or lock-plate, and this block is connected by a joint-link, l, with the hammer or cock m.

From the foregoing it will be seen thatin the act of cooking the sliding block, with its driving pin or bolt, will be drawn back, and thepin coming against the shoulder formed by the inclined plane d will run into the diagonal groove, and therefore rotate the breech until it falls, thence into the next longitudinal groove 1), and as there is one such longitudinal groove for each chamber properly located, the breech will by this means he turned to therequired extent to bringafresh chamberin line with the barrel. By the time the hammer is brought to a fullcock the spring-pin will have reached therear part of the nextlongitudinalgroove, which will lock and hold the breech in place and in line with the barrel; and. as the diagonal groove at its connection withthe rear end of the longitudinal groove isof less depth, in the actof discharging the driving pin or bolt will be prevented from running back in the diagonal groove, and will therefore run in the longitudinal groove, which being parallel with the bore of the chamber will keep itin a line with the barrel during the discharge. \Vhen the hammer is brought to the half-cock the driving pin or bolt is on a line with the lateral inclined grooves f, so that the breech can be rotated by hand, the spring of the driving pin or bolt yielding to and .followingthe inclined surfaces of these grooves. The bringingof the hammer to thehalf-cock turns the rotatin gbreech about halfthe distance between two chambers, so that thedrivingpinorboltwillbein alinewithoneof the secondary longitudinal grooves, and then thehammercan be let down, thepin or boltrunning forward in this groove to hold thebreech in a position to have the hammer rest on the solid metal between two of the nipples. In this way it will be seen thatthe breech cannot be turned except by the act of cocking, and that in consequence the arm cannot be discharged by accidentally striking the hammer.

Instead of making the grooves for turning and holding the rotating breech on the periphery thereof, it will be obvious that, as an equivalent therefor, the said grooves may be made on a separate spindle projecting from the rear thereof, or plaed below and geared with the rotating breech, that themotion given by the driving pin or bolt to the said spindle may be imparted to the rotating breech, and in such case the drivingpin or bolt, instead of being connected with the head of the hammer, should be connected with some other part of the look so as to be operated by the act of cocking. I have not described this modification as equally good with the first described, but simply to illustrate the changes which may be made within the range of my invention.

I do not claim as my invention the method of rotating the many-chambered breech in firearms by a driving pin or bolt operated by the cock, or some part of thelock movingin unison with the cock, and sliding in aseries of grooves out in the periphery of the rotating breech or some part connected with it, which grooves are so formed that in the act of firing the driving pin or bolt will run in one groove without turning the breech, thereby holding the particular chamber in line with the barrel, andin the act of cooking pass into and alonganother and diagonal groove so formed as to rotate the breech and tbrin g the next chamber of the breech in line with the barrel preparatory to another discharge, as this method has long been known, and, I-have above stated, my invention consistsin or relates to certain im provements which I have made therein.

\Vhat I claim as my invention,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Combining with the driving pin or bolt, and with the series of longitudinal and diagonal grooves for rotating the breech and holding each chamber in line during the discharge, substantially as described, the series of short longitudinal grooves for locking the rotating breech, so that the hammer can rest on the solid metal between two chambers instead of the nipple, substantially as described, to prevent accidental discharges.

2. In combination with the said drivingpin or bolt and the series of long longitudinal and diagonal grooves, the lateral grooves or inclined planes, substantially asdescribed, to admit of turning the breech by hand when the hammer is at halt cock, as set forth.

SAML. COLT.

\Vitnesses:

J. N. STANCLlFF, E. K. Roo'r. 

